The present investigation was aimed at the isolation and characterization of phosphate
solubilizing bacteria with enhanced tolerant to environmental stress. The bacterial strain
isolated from a metalcontaminated soil collected from abandoned mines was identified as
Klebsiella oxytoca according to 16S rRNA analysis. The strain proved the ability to solubilize
inorganic phosphate under a wide range of pH (4 to 10), temperature (20 to 40 C) and salt
concentrations (0 to 7.5% NaCl). However, the maximum phosphate solubilization (615 µg …